Okay this might sound stupid but frags....

[Kyle9021]

Alright so I just got two new corals that came on frag plugs (thank you again Cross). but I'm a little confused about what I can do with them. Right now they're in my tank and the corals look great, but I don't really like the look of the ceramic plugs...one is a xenia and the other is a digi monti. Can I take them off the plug and glue them onto my live rock? Whats the advantage of having a plug? Thanks!

 

[mercedes]

if there is a good layer of glue between the frag + the plug you can usually just pry them off w/ an exacto knife.

 

[Kyle9021]

okay thanks! Do you know of any special tricks to get the xenia to stay put without a frag plug?

 

[taichimaster]

okay thanks! Do you know of any special tricks to get the xenia to stay put without a frag plug?

Xenias are kind of tricky. If you cut them off the plug then you would have to use mesh to hold it on a piece of live rock until and put into a low flow area until it is attached to the live rock.

 

[mercedes]

hmm... you should be able to super glue the dried up glue from the frag plug onto the rock. the xenia should encrust over the gobs of glue over time.

 

[Kyle9021]

thank you!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Anthony Calfo recommends toothpicks to "staple" in place on your rock or rubble. I prefer the loose rubber band trick or open mesh covered cup of rubble.

 

[cross]

i used the toothpick/rubber band trick on that xenia frag, so what he could probly do is take it off the frag plug and put it on a peace of rubble rock the same way it is on the plug until it grabs hold of the rock.

 

[BeloitReef]

For the Xenia I would just cut the plug and trim it down and glue whats left of the plug to the rocks. If you take the Xenia off the plug it is more difficult to get them to attach since you have to use the toothpick and/or rubber band method. In most cases the Xenia will eventually move off the left over plug and then just pop it off the rocks.

BeloitReef

 

[jill]

Great question. I will use the exacto to take the coral off the plugs.
As far as Xenia's I find I have to trim mine back every couple of months or they would take over my tank. I keep them on ONE kind of flat rock that I can easily remove and I use a scalpel. Its a messy business and I hate it. Usually all the xenia comes off and I have to just place it on top of the rock with another on top of the xenia. After a week or so I take the top rock off and by then the xenia has grabbed on the to bottom rock.

 

[JasonD]

I would not remove the Xenia from the frag. Xenia is kind of a pain to mount and will spread quickly on it's own. The Xenia will spread up. Place the frag at the base of the rock you want the Xenia on. The Xenia will walk/attach to the new rock. It will then be attached to both the frag and the new rock. You can either wait for it to split on it's own or cut it. You will then have two pieces, one rock for your display and one frag to trade…..